The Princess Royal Training Awards are the UK and Ireland’s premier awards programme for recognising training excellence.

On Tuesday 2 December, in an awards ceremony at Fishmongers Hall, the City & Guilds Foundation had the honour of recognising 56 outstanding employers who offer leading edge training programmes to their staff. City & Guilds Foundation President, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal presented the award.

This year marks a major milestone – 10 years of the Princess Royal Training Awards! Over the past decade, more than 1,000 training programmes have been assessed, and the ripple effect has been extraordinary – almost 1 million people positively impacted through award-winning initiatives. That’s transformational learning in action.

The 2025 Princess Royal Training Award recipients represent a vibrant mix of sectors – from construction and hospitality to education, heritage crafts, and the public and not-for-profit sectors. What unites them? A shared commitment to creating meaningful change by investing in their people. These organisations are setting the benchmark for training excellence, driving productivity, and strengthening society and the economy.

This year’s ceremony was packed with inspiring stories, and saw a record number of renewals, including GSK’s Chemistry CPD Programme and WenLin Chinese School’s Teacher Training and Mentorship Programme, which is empowering part-time Mandarin teachers with tailored classroom development. Many recipients tackled some of the UK and Ireland’s toughest challenges – from skills shortages to an ageing workforce – with innovative solutions that make a real difference.

As Jason Wyatt, Global After Sales and Technical Training Manager from JCB put it:
“We are absolutely delighted to receive this most prestigious training award. The rigor of assessment by City & Guilds Foundation makes the achievement feel even greater.”

And the impact speaks for itself: 86%* of award recipients report higher productivity thanks to their investment in learning and development, and data from 49 award holders shows a collective saving of over £62 million linked to revenue growth from their training programmes. That’s proof that great training pays off.

New this year, to mark its 10th anniversary, the Princess Royal Training Awards also introduced Innovation Commendations for 10 organisations pushing boundaries in learning. Amongst those were Costa Coffee, whose programme uses sensorial analysis, a scientific approach, which uses sight, smell, taste, and touch to help baristas elevate the coffee experience for customers.

Seven organisations were awarded with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Commendations, recognising their commitment to building inclusive workplaces. A more diverse and inclusive workforce can boost business. Research from McKinsey & Company showed that ethnically diverse companies are likely to financially outperform non-diverse companies by 35%, and gender diverse companies outperform less diverse companies by 15%. Gower College Swansea is an example of that, they transformed wellbeing through their menopause training. A significant contributor to staff sickness was perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, with data showing in 2021/22 that 89 working days were lost among female staff. To address this challenge the College launched a successful three-pronged initiative which has reduced absence down to 27 days in the year.

Dame Ann Limb DBE DL, Chair of City & Guilds Foundation, said: “The Princess Royal Training Awards recognise the critical importance of skills training and the value these skills provide for employers. Having been assessed against rigorous standards, these organisations join our ‘best-in-class’ alumni. Congratulations to all organisations achieving this Royal recognition. We look forward to continuing to celebrate and recognise even more organisations who believe in, and deliver, excellent learning and development programmes.”

For a full list of this year’s recipients and their training programmes, as well as the special commendations awarded please see the 2025 recipients page. You can see the photos from the event here.

*Princess Royal Training Awards: 10 Years of Excellence Report, 2025

About City & Guilds Foundation

The City and Guilds of London Institute, known as the City & Guilds Foundation is Royal Charter organisation with a legacy dating back to 1878. As a catalyst for social change, the Foundation invests its surplus into high-impact programmes that remove barriers to employment, celebrate best practices in workplace training, and advocate for the jobs of the future.

Operating independently, the Foundation champions skills development as a powerful lever for individual, organisational, and societal progress. Its initiatives include social investment, employer recognition awards, fellowships, and advocacy efforts – all designed to increase access to skills and create opportunities for people from all backgrounds.

With deep historical ties to the City of London’s Livery Companies and ongoing Royal patronage, the Foundation continues to honour its heritage while driving forward innovation in skills and education. From empowering young carers to recognising excellence through the Princess Royal Training Awards, the City & Guilds Foundation is committed to making a measurable impact on lives and communities across the UK and beyond.

To learn more, visit cityandguildsfoundation.org